Rhinebeck's Carol Tyson just a good tennis player (video)

RHINEBECK, N.Y. -- Carol Tyson has long been something more than a girl playing on a boys team. She's just a good player. Period.

Last Friday, Rhinebeck junior Tyson became the second girl in league history to play in a Mid-Hudson Athletic League boys tennis final. She lost, 6-3, 6-2, to longtime friend Jonah Berkowitz of Roosevelt, who claimed his fourth straight crown and ran his career record in MHAL play to 65-0. But Tyson showed again she can hang with the best the league has to offer.

Tyson was at less than her best for the final after surviving a grueling 2 1/2-hour semifinal with Onteora's Myan McCann, who had dealt Tyson her lone MHAL loss of the year, 6-3, 6-3, on May 1 at Rhinebeck. The 6-7 (4), 6-2, 7-6 (7) marathon victory last week left Tyson with less than an hour to recover before the championship match.

"I was running on empty," Tyson admitted after the final. "That (semifinal) was the toughest match I've played."

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With no girls tennis team at Rhinebeck, Tyson has played on the boys squad since seventh grade. She reached the MHAL semifinals last year, where Berkowitz defeated her en route to his third MHAL title. Coleman Catholic's Dawn Brownlie was the first girl to reach the MHAL final, reaching the championship match as a freshman in 1986.

Tyson got started in the sport at age 8 or 9 as a way to connect with her dad, Robert.

"My dad watched tennis on TV and one day I picked up a racket to play with him," she said. "It's been a really great bonding thing with him every since. He's my biggest supporter, along with my mom (Linda)."

Around the same time, Tyson started attending camps and clinics at Dutchess Racquet Club in Poughkeepsie, which is where she met Berkowitz and the two became a doubles tandem to be reckoned with. She said it was special to have Dutchess Racquet owner Chad Lookabaugh at a MHAL final that featured two of his two prized pupils.

"I think I do really well," Tyson said of her play. "It's to my benefit to play with the guys with the stronger pace. Some of the guys can't keep up with my pace."

It's important to play with confidence, particularly when you're facing opponents that may be stronger physically, Tyson added.

"I think it's not showing any weaknesses because I'm a girl," she said. "I have to know that I can do it."

Roosevelt coach Bob Mayerhofer has been one of the people impressed by Tyson's mental toughness.

"It's about what I'm capable of and if it's good enough (in a given match)," he said.

Tyson agreed.

"It's the biggest mental game," she said. "Once you're losing, it's hard to get back into it. In my (MHAL) semifinal, after I lost the first set it was hard. I think playing with the guys has made me a better tennis player."

With just one more varsity season ahead, Tyson is now starting to think about life after high school. It's a life that will include a women's varsity team for the first time.

"At one point I thought about going to college and not playing tennis, and I just couldn't see it," she said. "We're close on my team. I love hitting with them. I think I'll be even closer with the girls."

Tyson said she's run into a few problems in matches against boys, but it's not long before they stop thinking about playing a girl and switch to figuring out how to beat a worthy adversary. Not many have devised a winning strategy. Tyson was 8-1 in the MHAL at first singles this season.

"I've definitely had opponents make bad line calls," Tyson said. "A lot of times they're surprised that I can keep up with a guy."

Tyson became the first female to qualify for the Section 9 boys tennis tournament last season, losing her one sectional match, but is hoping to stay around a bit longer this time at the two-day event, which runs Monday and Tuesday at Match Point Tennis Center in Goshen.

Said Rhinebeck coach Dave Jutton, "She played very well in her match last year. The level of competition is outstanding at sectionals, to say the least. I'm looking forward to seeing her play her best.

"When I started coaching three years ago, boys did not like losing to her," Jutton added. "Now they've come to terms with it. It's not a shock. She's just a great tennis player.

"I'm excited to have her another year. It's nice to have someone of her level setting the example for the team."